December 16, 2014
updated
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Make this cheesy baked ham and tomato pasta for a delicious family meal asap!
With minimal work and prep required, it’s the perfect restaurant-style weeknight dinner you can make at home!
Ham & Tomato Pasta Bake
One of the things I love about this ham & tomato pasta bake is that you get that same au gratin feel like traditional baked pasta in a fraction of the time. It’s warm and cheesy and tastes like a restaurant-style meal at home.
One of the reasons I love making this recipe is that it requires little work on my end. I can also use up leftover basil pesto from another night and it’s flexible enough to use as much or little as we like.
How to Bake Pasta in the Oven
Baking pasta in the oven is simple, and in this recipe in particular, most of it is assembled outside the oven. The oven is used to melt the cheese, create a crust, and give that oven-baked pasta feel we all expect from comfort food.
This is how it’s done:
- Cook pasta
Cook pasta according to package directions, al dente. Drain when ready and set aside. - Sauté
Meanwhile, heat up olive oil in a large skillet. Add onion and saute for 3 minutes until the onions have softened and are translucent. Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute until fragrant. - Make the sauce
Add the ham to the pan and saute it for about a minute. Add the crushed tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and pesto sauce. Mix and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer the sauce for 10 minutes. - Add the pasta
Once the sauce is ready, add the pasta and ricotta cheese to the pan, and combine. Turn off the heat and transfer the hot pasta mixture into a baking dish. - Let’s get cheesy!
Distribute the mozzarella cheese over the top and then sprinkle it with parmesan cheese on top. - Bake to perfection
Position the oven rack in the top ⅓ of the oven, place the baking dish inside, and broil on high for 2 minutes until the top cheese layer is melted and golden. - Enjoy!
Remove from the oven and serve immediately.
Do You Have to Cook Pasta Before Baking It?
For best results, I recommend cooking pasta before baking it al dente, which means just a little stiff and not mushy. Overboiling pasta is not a good idea either: it could get too soft while baking it.
What to Serve with Ham Pasta Bake
Do you want to make this pasta even tastier? Serve this epic meal with the best side dishes for pasta, and add more flavor and texture! Here are some delicious ideas:
Ham & tomato Pasta Bake
Ingredients
- 16 oz pasta
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 12 oz ham, cubed
- 28- ounce can of crushed tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
- ½ cup pesto, store-bought or homemade, about 4oz
- 1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
- 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
- ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions, al dente. Drain when ready and set aside.
- Meanwhile, heat up the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the onion, and saute for 3 minutes until the onions have softened and are translucent. Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute until fragrant.
- Add the ham to the pan and saute it for about a minute. Add the crushed tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and pesto sauce, mix and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer the sauce for 10 minutes.
- Once the sauce is ready, add the pasta and ricotta cheese, and combine the ingredients. Turn off the heat and transfer the hot pasta mixture into a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.
- Distribute the mozzarella cheese over the top and then sprinkle it with parmesan cheese on top.
- Position the oven rack in the top ⅓ of the oven, place the baking dish inside, and BROIL on HIGH for 2 minutes until the top cheese layer is melted and golden.
- Remove from the oven and serve immediately.
Ella
I made this tomato baked pasta last night. It was delicious. My family loved it.
Anna
I made this with extra ham and some pepperoni seared in a hot pan, then I substituted 1.5 cups of Classico 4 Cheese Tomato Cream sauce instead of the pesto sauce. Used high protein Barilla penne. It turned out AWESOME. I had no idea ham could be so good like this. Thanks for the inspiration!
Laura Fuentes
That sounds like a delicious substitution, Anna! I am glad it was a winner.
Leilani
Hi there, what are the exact measurements supposed to be for the other ingredients?
Laura Fuentes
all the ingredients for the recipe are in the recipe card. enjoy!
Becky
Hi Laura!
Do you have any suggestions for a basil pesto substitute? Unfortunately, one of my sons has a nut allergy.
Becky
Laura Fuentes
Hi Becky! you can make your own nut-free pesto by substituting the nuts with sunflower seeds. If you can’t have seeds, just omit the nut/seeds all together and make a fresh basil paste. You are going after the flavors with the basil. Enjoy!
Erin
Made this tonight and it was great! My husband and toddler both liked it too, which is a feat in itself. Nice to be able to put something together so quickly that actually ends up having such great flavor – that never happens. This is a keeper. Thanks!
Laura Fuentes
Success!! One meal for the whole family!